Cling. Cling. Cling.
"Welcome."
The day was just beginning as Valerie welcomed her first client. It was Alex; the man who got a large dragon tattooed on his back. He was here for his last session. Valerie welcomed him with a small smile and gestured for him to have a seat. She began to sterilize the tools as her first client waited patiently, fiddling with his phone.
"Have you heard the news this morning, Miss Val?" He asked, his voice deep and husky. He was a large man who looked to be in his 40's. His beard was scruffy, and his hair long enough to be tied back into a bun. She gave him a sideway glance. "Nope. Anything important?" She asked, not particularly interested as she continued to prepare her tools. "There was a shooting in Brainbridge. Details aren't clear. But you should watch out, yeah? You work alone in this parlor--and you're a woman."
Valerie tried not to scoff at his last comment. "Appreciate the concern," she said flatly. She opened a drawer and pulled out a gun, cocking an eyebrow and shooting him a smug smile before putting it back in the drawer. Alex raised his hands, both surprised and impressed. "Remind me not to mess with ya," he laughed.
As soon as she finished sterilizing the tools and pouring ink, she pulled her hair back into a loose ponytail. With a tray full of tools in hand, she walked toward Alex and gently set it down on the table beside him. She proceeded to put on clean rubber gloves, now gesturing for him to remove his shirt. "Let's finish up this bad boy, shall we?"
--
It was time for breakfast.
Valerie flipped the sign from OPEN to CLOSED. She locked the door and quickly double-checked before leaving for the nearby bar, which was just a few blocks down the road; she had seen it just the other day and decided she would check the place out. It was a warm day outside, and Valerie was glad she had chosen to wear a loose blouse today. She paired it with her favorite skinny jeans and black ankle boots. She pulled her hair tie and let her brown waves hang loose.
Valerie reached the bar within a few minutes. She sat at a vacant table by the window and began scanning the menu. Something good but not too heavy... she thought as her index finger trailed down the menu.
"Excuse me," she raised her hand to call on the waitress. The waitress quickly grabbed a pen and walked toward her. "Yes, may I have your order?" she asked with a small smile as she clicked her pen. "I'll have one order of Fish and Chips," she said as her eyes continued to scan the list of drinks. "-and one beer." The waitress quickly wrote down her order. "Anything else?"
"None, thank you."
Valerie sat quietly as she waited, her eyes scanning the room. There was a small stage, a few round tables and chairs, and some abstract paintings on the wall. It was a pretty decent place, and there were only a few other people besides her.
Without another glance, she turned her attention to the TV and gently massaged her temples, regretting her decision to stay up all night playing billiards on her phone.
Member
JustAnna
Mae
princess
